Ken Griffin, the founder and CEO of Citadel, a hedge fund, and a prominent Republican donor, said President Donald Trump is eroding the American brand.
Griffin made his comments Wednesday at the Semafor World Economy Summit, where he criticized Trump’s tariffs.
“The United States was more than just a nation. It’s a brand, it’s a universal brand, whether it’s our culture, our financial strength, our military strength,” Griffin said. “America rose beyond just being a country. It was like an inspiration for most of the world. And we’re eroding that brand right now.”.
Griffin said it could take a lifetime to repair the damage caused by Trump’s tariffs.
“In the financial markets, no brand compared to the brand of the U.S. treasuries, the U.S. treasury market, the strength of the U.S. dollar and the credit worthiness of U.S. treasuries. No brand came close. We put that brand at risk,” Griffin said.
Griffin said the Trump administration needs to be more thoughtful and consider America’s place in the global market.
“The president and the secretary of treasury and the secretary of commerce need to be very thoughtful that when you have a brand, you need to behave in a way that respects that brand, that strengthens that brand,” he said. “Because when you tarnish that brand it can be a lifetime to repair the damage that has been done.”
Trump’s tariffs will not help bring manufacturing back into the country, Griffin warned.
“People are not going to race to build manufacturing in America, because with the policy volatility, you actually undermine the very goal you’re trying to achieve,” Griffin said.
He then quoted comedian Dave Chappelle, saying, “I’d rather wear Nikes, than make Nikes.”
Griffin said the last month has been tumultuous for the market.
“If we were Europeans looking at our US assets, we’ve lost 20 percent of our value in four weeks,” Griffin said. “If you use the euro as a reference currency, we’ve become 20 percent poorer in four weeks. There’s not a lot of money being made in that environment. All you’re trying to do is tread water and not drown.”
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
